West Ham have both the quality and experience necessary to advance out of Group A. It is important to keep in mind that the east Londoners won 10 of their 12 matches during the previous season in their Conference League competition, and that they finished first in their Europa League group in 2021-22.
Which game can prove to be crucial in this first round of the competition?
The games versus Olympiacos can prove to be challenging. The men from the port area of Piraeus in Athens are regulars in the European tournaments and will be keen to improve on their performance in the group stage of the Europa League last season, in which they were eliminated without winning a single game. They hold the record for most Greek championships won with 47.
Although it will be difficult, David Moyes is certain that his club will be able to come out on top in the end. West Ham will be playing their group matches at Greece, Germany, and Serbia. Moyes has frequently expressed his delight at the opportunity afforded to the club’s supporters to travel to new locations as a result of their involvement in European tournaments, and the next campaign will be no exception.
What sort of things should the other members of the group anticipate from West Ham?
West Ham wants to have another good run in Europe. They already have a history of success in Europe, as evidenced by the fact that they won the Europa Conference League in May of this year and advanced to the semifinals of the Europa League the year before that. As a consequence of the additions of Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Mohammed Kudus, they now have the necessary depth in their roster to be able to participate in all four tournaments. This was a must for them to be able to do so.
Can Freiburg be considered as an easy opponent?
They are not to be treated in any manner, shape, or form lightly at all. It is likely that Christian Streich is not only one of the most charming individuals in the Bundesliga, but that he is also the head coach with the longest stay in the league and maybe one of the greatest. Both of these accolades are attainable given Christian Streich’s lengthy career as a head coach in the Bundesliga. He has guided Freiburg to a result of tenth, ninth, and most recently fifth over the course of the preceding three years. The most recent season came to a close in the month of May. Due to the fact that they have the fourth lowest pay expenditure of any team competing in the German top division, this is a considerable underachievement on their behalf.
Because there has not been a significant amount of player turnover on the squad in recent years, this has helped to contribute to the building of a group that is honest and hard-working. As a consequence of this, the team now has the ability to play defence at an extraordinarily high level while still making efficient use of the ball and the flanks.
Be wary of the delivery that Vincenzo Grifo makes as well as the movement that Michael Gregoritsch makes within the box. West Ham will also need to conduct their research on Streich’s set pieces, which have regularly been among the most productive in Germany. This will be an important consideration for the match.
Teams in the Group-
- Olympiacos
- Freiburg
- TSC Backa Topola
